Modular wall and roof pocket system

ABSTRACT

A modular pre-fabricated wall panel has a plurality of stud sets. The stud sets each have a pocket, the pocket having a floor for supporting a roof truss. The wall panel has a sheathing attached to an exterior surface of the plurality of stud sets. The wall panel also has an air/vapor barrier on an interior surface of the plurality of stud sets. The wall panel also has a plurality of pocket liners sealably connected to the air/vapor barrier lining, each of the plurality of pocket liners lining a pocket of the plurality of stud sets and forming a barrier to air/vapor. A modular roof system has a plurality of trusses, hinged to roof sheathing. The hinges allow the trusses to lie flat against the sheathing during storage or transportation and to orient into a perpendicular orientation for installation.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to Canadian patent application no. 3,019,078 filed on Sep. 28, 2018, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to a modular wall and roof system. In particular, it relates to a modular wall and roof system that uses a pocket system for supporting hinged roof panels.

BACKGROUND

When building structures, typically much of the construction takes place on site. Framing material, either wood or steel, is cut and attached to form the walls by workers at the construction site.

For commercial retail structures, it is common for the walls to extend above the roof system to form a parapet. The walls must support the roof, such as roof trusses. Typically the roof, such as the roof trusses are put into place and attached to the walls as the walls are built. This involves the framers working in conjunction with a crane or other means for lifting the roof into place.

In addition to framing the walls, the builders must also install an air/vapor barrier (AVB), which may be a membrane of plastic material, to restrict the flow of air and water vapor through the wall system and ceiling.

It is desirable for a more efficient system and method for constructing wall and roof systems for commercial retail units.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In drawings which illustrate by way of example only an embodiment of the disclosure,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the interior of a wall panel with pocket and a roof truss.

FIG. 2 is schematic perspective view of a pocket liner.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a pocket of a wall panel.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of several wall panels and roof trusses, partially covered in wall and roof material.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of several wall panels and roof trusses, partially covered in wall and roof material.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section of a roof system including several trusses in a deployed orientation.

FIG. 7 is a cross-section of a roof system including several trusses collapsed orientation.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a roof system including several trusses in a deployed orientation.

FIG. 9 is a perspective cutaway view of a truss with sheathing and hinges.

FIGS. 10a and 10b are perspective views of a hinge and flange.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the figures, prefabricated wall and roof panels are used to form the wall system and roof supports.

A modular pre-fabricated wall panel has a plurality of stud sets. The stud sets each have a pocket, the pocket having a floor for supporting a roof truss. The wall panel may have a sheathing attached to an exterior surface of the plurality of stud sets. The wall panel also has an air/vapor barrier on an interior surface of the plurality of stud sets. The wall panel also has a plurality of pocket liners sealably connected to the air/vapor barrier lining, each of the plurality of pocket liners lining a pocket of the plurality of stud sets and forming a barrier to air/vapor. There may also be a top board between each adjoining of the plurality stud set. The top board may be at the height on the stud sets of the top surface of the roof truss. The top board may be wrapped in air/vapor barrier The wrapped air/vapor barrier may be sealably connected to the air/vapor barrier, and the wrapped air/vapor barrier may form an attachment point for air vapor barrier of the trusses.

The prefabricated wall panels 10 include vertical studs 15, such as of wood or steel. The studs may be supported on a suitable stud track 20 at the base.

The wall panels may include any desired window or door openings.

The vertical studs may comprise sets of stud sets 25, comprising extension studs 30 and support studs 35. The extension studs may extend in height above the desired height of the roof system 42. The extension studs may extend in height to the height of a parapet. The support studs may end at the height of the underside of the roof system 42. The support studs may provide structural support for the roof system.

The stud sets may comprise a first extension stud 30 a, one or more support studs 35 a, 35 b, and a second extension stud 30 b, all affixed together. In this way, an opening or pocket 40 may be formed between the extension studs 30, above the ends of the support studs 35. This pocket 40 is suitable for receiving the ends of roof trusses 45, which are then supported by the support studs and held in place by the extension studs.

A pocket may be formed by the studs in other manner such as formed steel studs or wood studs in other orientations.

Wall sheathing 50, such as oriented strand board (OSB) may be attached to the outside surface of the studs of the wall panel. The sheathing may extend to the same or similar height as the extension studs.

The sheathing and extension studs may form a parapet, or short wall around the roof system of the structure. Such parapets are often used on commercial retail units, such as restaurants.

The wall system may further comprise insulation. The insulation may be in the cavity between the stud sets. Insulation may also be affixed to the outside of the sheathing, such as described in the applicants application No. 2,980,203.

Air/vapor barrier (AVB) 55 may be affixed to the wall panels. The AVB may be a plastic membrane that extends across the inner surface of the studs. The AVB may be affixed to the studs using glue or other suitable adhesive. It is desirable that holes in the AVB be minimized to reduce the need to cover or patch holes. Holes in the AVB may allow water vapor and air to pass through the membrane, reducing the effectiveness of the AVB.

Since covering and patching holes is labour intensive and therefore time consuming and costly, it is desirable to reduce the number of holes and seams in the AVB requiring covering or patching, particularly after installation.

The AVB 55 may line the pocket formed by the extension studs and support studs. The AVB lining the pocket is preferably continuous with the AVB lining the inner surface of the studs, either made from the same continuous sheet or the seam suitably sealed.

With reference to FIG. 2, a pocket liner 70 may be pre-formed of plastic for insertion in the pocket. The pocket liner 70 may be pre-formed of flexible plastic such that it generally is in the shape of a rectangle sheet with a pocket 72 in the centre of the rectangle. The pocket 72 is generally of a size sufficient to receive the end of a truss. The pocket is preferably as deep as the depth of studs 35 so that the truss may be supported by the studs 35 while the end of the truss is enclosed by the pocket 72 of the pocket liner 70. At the time of installation, the pocket liner 70 may be sealably connected with the AVB membrane of the wall panel using suitable means, such as peal-and-stick tape, glue, adhesive or tape.

With reference to FIG. 3, the pocket liner 70 may be inserted into the pocket formed by the studs. The wall panel may be pre-wrapped by AVB such that the pocket liner 70 may be readily sealably attached to the AVB.

The AVB lining the pocket may be further protected with a sleeve 60. The sleeve may be formed from material, such as OSB, and is used to line the pocket. The sleeve may comprise two pieces of material 62 64 positioned in the pocket for receiving the roof truss. The sleeve may comprise a U-shaped piece or pieces of material such that it is positioned between the sides and bottom of the truss and the stud set.

The sleeve preferably protects the AVB from potential damage, such as holes or tears, caused by the installation of the roof truss in the pocket. As the roof truss is inserted, such as by workers manually or using a crane, the roof truss may slide, or bump the pocket liner. Without a sleeve, there is an increased risk that the roof truss will tear or make holes in the AVB.

The dimensions of the pocket formed by the extension studs and support studs must be suitably large to accept the sleeve and the roof truss. For example, if all the studs have the same width, two support studs may be used between the extension studs. OSB may be used to form the sleeve. The pocket may then be suitable for accepting a roof truss or truss system that has a similar width as the studs.

Once the roof truss 45 is positioned in the pocket, additional AVB 66 may be installed on the roof, either above the roof truss, below the roof truss or both. The additional AVB may be attached to and sealed with the AVB lining the wall panels. The roof truss 45 may be positioned in the pocket by installation of a roof panel system that includes hinged trusses that when in the vertical orientation align with the pocket as described more fully below.

A horizontally oriented top board 75 in the wall panel between vertical extension studs may be coated in membrane as part of the pre-fabrication of the wall panel. The top board 75 may extend between studs sets. The top surface of the top board 75 may be the same height as the top surface of the trusses or roof system after installation. The AVB lining the interior of the walls, including the pocket liner can be sealably attached to the membrane of the top board 75. This can be completed off-site during pre-fabrication of the wall panel.

During installation, once the trusses are put into position in the pockets, an AVB at the top surface of the trusses can be sealably attached to the membrane coating the top board 75 by workers working on top of the roof. In this way, the AVB may be made continuous from the interior of the walls to the barrier at the top of the trusses.

In an embodiment, a boot 65 may be included with the roof truss 45. The boot 65 may be formed of plastic and cover the end and bottom of the roof truss that is received in the pocket. This boot may provide a basis for attaching additional AVB, such as lining the roof truss, and lining the wall panels. This boot may further protect the AVB lining the pocket 70. If a boot is used, the sleeve may not be required. Alternatively, both the boot and sleeve may be used to protect the AVB and ease installation of the roof truss.

The wall panel 10 may include several stud sets 25. The stud sets may be positioned on regular intervals such as every 24 inches. The stud sets, sheathing, any stud tracks and AVB may be pre-fabricated at a location other than the construction site. This may allow more efficient manufacturing techniques to be used, including pre-cutting of materials and assembly line assembly of the wall panels. The wall panels may be moved to the construction site as needed for installation. Various wall panels may be pre-fabricated, including panels having windows, door or other features.

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, a wall panel 10 may be installed at a corner with another wall panel. Trusses 45 supported by pockets 40 in stud sets support a roof. In order to show the stud sets, the AVB is not shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

A modular pre-fabricated roof panel 42 (see FIGS. 6 and 8) may include one or more trusses 45 attached using hinges 100 to a roof sheathing 120. With reference to FIG. 7, during transportation, the trusses 45 may be hinged to line parallel or substantially parallel with the roof sheathing 120. With reference to FIG. 6, at the building site, the roof panel 42 may be lifted and the trusses 45 permitted to hinge to a substantially perpendicular orientation relative to the roof panel 42. The roof panel 42 may then be affixed to walls, such as the wall panels described herein and the trusses 45 affixed to the roof sheathing 120, such as using fasteners 125, to prevent any further hinged movement of the trusses. The fasteners may be bolts, nails or similar means for attaching.

The hinges 100 may be butt hinges attached to the roof sheathing 120 and the truss 45 to allow the truss to pivot from being substantially parallel with the roof sheathing in a collapsed state to being substantially perpendicular to the roof sheathing. The truss 45 may contact one or more adjacent trusses 45 when in the collapsed state (not shown) that may block the truss from pivoting to being parallel with the sheathing so that in the collapsed state the truss 45 remains at an angle, such as less than 30 degrees from parallel with the sheathing.

Alternatively, the hinge 100 may include a mechanism to allow one or more trusses 45 to lay parallel to the roof panel if the trusses 45 are deeper “D” than the spacing between the trusses. With reference to truss “B” in FIG. 7, the mechanism, such as a sliding mechanism, may allow the hinge point to be a distance away from the roof sheathing to allow a truss to overlap adjacent truss or trusses. The hinge 100 may include a flange 115 affixed to the roof sheathing 120 and a bar 105 that passes through an opening in the flange 115 as well as an opening in the sheathing 120. The bar 105 may include a stopper 110, larger than the opening in the flange 115, that stops the bar 105 from passing through the flange 115.

With reference to FIG. 7, in a collapsed state, truss 45 (such as truss “B”), may hinge substantially parallel to the roof sheathing 120 but be spaced apart from the roof sheathing by an amount substantially equal to the thickness “T” of one or more adjacent trusses (such as truss “A”). Spacer material 130, such as blocks of wood may be placed in the space between the truss and the roof sheathing to maintain the truss 45 substantially parallel with the roof sheathing. Maintaining the trusses 45 substantial parallel with the roof sheathing, a collapsed state, may allow roof systems 42 to be stacked for storage and transportation more easily. Additional spacers 131 may be included allow the roof system 42 to be stacked. The spacers 130, 131 may be removed prior to installation. Straps, pins, or other restraints parts may be used to temporarily affix the trusses in the collapsed orientation during transportation. These restraints may be removed at the building site to allow the trusses to hinge out of the collapsed orientation. The roof systems may be pre-fabricated offsite and transported to a building site in the collapsed state. In this way the systems may be stacked and reduced manual labour is required to install the trusses and roof sheathing.

At a building site, the roof system 42 may be lifted, such as with a crane using lift points 126 in the roof sheathing 120. Once lifted, trusses 45 may swing on hinges 100 to a deployed state or orientation where each truss is substantially vertical orientation, such as under the influence of gravity. The trusses may additionally or alternatively be hinged manually to orient the trusses in a vertical or substantially vertical orientation.

The roof system 42 may be placed, such as using a crane, into a position with walls, such as the wall panels described above, and trusses affixed to walls, such as using wall pockets 40. A truss 47, such as a starter truss, may be installed prior to the roof system 42, such as by installing truss 47 separately to the wall. The truss 47 may provide support, such as to roof sheathing 120 and orientation to the roof system 42 as it is being lifted into position and installed. For longer spans, one or more starter trusses may be used in the middle of the walls, such as in place of every fourth truss to provide support to the roof system while it is being installed. With reference to FIG. 6, the components 48 indicated with a dashed line, including the starter truss 47 may be installed separately from the roof system 42.

With reference to FIG. 8, a roof system may include several trusses, such as four trusses, along with sheathing 120 and a plurality of hinges 100. Additional sheathing may be pre-installed with the trusses to provide additional strength to the roof system and to reduce the amount of installation required at the building site.

The trusses 45 and 47 may be affixed to the sheathing using fasteners 125, such as bolts or nails. Hinges 100 may be left in the structure or removed. Hinge flange 115 may be removed or oriented to not obstruct other roof components. With reference to FIG. 10a and FIG. 10b , the hinge 100 may have a hinge point between the bar 105 and connection panel 103 that is affixed to the truss. The hinge point may be able to pass through the flange 115 that is affixed to the sheathing. In this way, with reference to FIG. 10b , in a collapsed orientation, the hinge point is below the flange, allowing the connection panel to hinge substantially parallel to the flange and sheathing. In the deployed orientation, the hinge point may pass through the flange 115. As the trusses are supported by the truss pockets, the weight of the trusses may no longer be supported by the hinges allowing the hinge points to pass through the flange 115. The bar 105 and stopper 110 may be rotated on the hinge point so that the bar is substantially parallel to the sheathing. In this way, the hinge components may lie substantially in the same plane as the sheathing.

Additional strapping 133 may be attached to bottom surfaces of trusses 45 and 47, such as using bolts or nails 135. Such strapping may support a ceiling and provide bracing for the roof structure such as additional lateral rigidity. The strapping may be sheathing panels or narrow boards or rods interconnecting the trusses and adjoining wall.

The roof system 42 may be modular and multiple roof systems 42 installed on a single structure. For example, a single roof system 42 may include four trusses and two roof systems 42 used to provide a roof for a single structure.

With reference to FIG. 9, while the roof system 42 is described as having a single hinge for each truss, depending on the length of the roof system 42 and trusses 45, there may be a plurality of hinges, along the length of the truss.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure having been thus described in detail by way of example, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the disclosure. The disclosure includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims. 

We claim:
 1. A modular pre-fabricated wall panel comprising: a plurality of stud sets, the stud sets each comprising a pocket, the pocket having a floor for supporting a roof truss; a sheathing attached to an exterior surface of the plurality of stud sets; an air/vapor barrier on an interior surface of the plurality of stud sets; a plurality of pocket liners sealably connected to the air/vapor barrier lining, each of the plurality of pocket liners lining a pocket of the plurality of stud sets and forming a barrier to air/vapor; and a top board located between each of the plurality of stud sets and aligned with a top surface of the roof truss, the top board wrapped in air/vapor barrier, the wrapped air/vapor barrier sealably connected to the air/vapor barrier, the wrapped air/vapor barrier forming an attachment point for an air vapor barrier of the trusses.
 2. The wall panel of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of pocket sleeves, the pocket sleeves lining the plurality of pocket liners, the pocket sleeves protecting the pocket liners from the trusses.
 3. A modular roof system comprising: substantially planar roof sheathing having a bottom surface; and a plurality of trusses, the trusses having a depth and a thickness, each truss affixed to the roof sheathing by one or more hinges, the hinges permitting the trusses to pivot from a collapsed state where the depth of the trusses are substantially parallel with the roof sheathing, and a deployed state, where the depth of the trusses are substantially perpendicular to the roof sheathing.
 4. The modular roof system of claim 3, wherein a pivot point of the one or more hinges of the plurality of trusses are movable from a first position proximate to the roof sheathing to a second position a distance from the roof sheathing, where the distance is substantially a multiple of the truss depth.
 5. The modular roof system of claim 4, wherein the one or more hinges of the plurality of trusses comprises a bar passing through a flange constrained by a stopper at a first end, with the pivot point at the second end of the bar, the flange affixed to the roof sheathing.
 6. The modular roof system of claim 3 further comprising one or more lifting points.
 7. A method of installing a modular roof system on a structure comprising: transporting a modular roof system, the modular roof system comprising: substantially planar roof sheathing having a bottom surface; and a plurality of trusses, the trusses having a depth and a thickness, each truss affixed to the roof sheathing by one or more hinges, the hinges permitting the trusses to pivot from a collapsed state where the depth of the trusses are substantially parallel with the roof sheathing, and a deployed state, where the depth of the trusses are substantially perpendicular to the roof sheathing; wherein the plurality of trusses are in a collapsed state during transporting; lifting the modular roof system and hinging the plurality of trusses from the collapsed state to a deployed state; affixing the trusses to one or more walls of the structure; and affixing the roof sheathing to the plurality of trusses. 